MPI testing for ways to stop spread of disease

Restricted place...The MPI is placing signs on farm gates to indicate farms are in lock-down because of Mycoplasma bovis.

With Mycoplasma bovis being detected on more farms, people are worried about the spread of the disease.

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is carrying out tests to find out what measures can be put in place to prevent Mycoplasma bovis from spreading.

MPI response manager David Yard said Mycoplasma bovis had been detected on 17 farms in New Zealand.

“Those farms are on lock-down. They have to get a permit from MPI to move their animals,” Mr Yard said.

The MPI had stopped culling animals until they found out how widespread the disease was,he said.

“We need to find out how many farms the disease is present on before we cull any more animals.

“It is people’s livelihood we are dealing with.”

After the bulk testing was finished, MPI would look at the results to see how widespread Mycoplasma bovis was and if it was still feasible to eradicate it, Mr Yard said.

“At the moment eradication is the preferred option.”

eradicate the disease, New Zealand would become the first country to do so, he said.

If Mycoplasma bovis was found on a farm, the farmer was given the chance to tell their neighbours, he said.

“Their neighbours will find out anyway because we would have to test their farms but we want to give farmers the chance to break it to their neighbours first.”

The MPI would not release a list of farms that had tested positive for the disease for privacy reasons but there would be a sign on the farm gate to let people know that farm was in lock-down, Mr Yard said.

It was a highly stressful time for dairy farmers, he said.

“We have contracted Rural Support to visit farmers that had been affected by Mycoplasma bovis so they would have someone to talk to.”

He advised people to contact Rural Support if they were feeling stressed.